BPA, a chemical widely used in plastics and food packaging, is found to exceed safe levels in urine samples from 11 EU countries.

A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) warns that millions of Europeans could be exposed to unsafe levels of Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in plastics and food packaging. The report is based on data from a large-scale human biomonitoring study that measured BPA levels in urine samples from 11 EU countries.

Bisphenol A

BPA is a synthetic compound that can interfere with the body’s hormonal system and cause various health problems, such as immune system damage, reduced fertility, and allergic skin reactions. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) recently lowered the safe daily intake of BPA from 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight to 0.005 micrograms, based on new scientific evidence.

However, the EEA report shows that most people in the EU are likely to exceed this limit, especially from consuming canned food and beverages. The report also reveals that BPA substitutes, such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF), are also present in urine samples and may have similar or even worse effects on human health.

In April, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) released an updated scientific assessment, examining the potential health risks associated with exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA). The agency concluded that current levels of dietary BPA exposure do raise health concerns, particularly from canned foods. These foods were identified as the most significant source of BPA exposure for people of all ages.

In a press release, the body says that the report is supported by the results of the HBM4EU project, a five-year research initiative that collected and analyzed human biomonitoring data on various chemicals across Europe. The project involved 2,756 adults from Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Switzerland, representing north, east, south and west Europe.

The project found that BPA levels in urine ranged from 0.3 to 42.6 micrograms per liter, with an average of 2.4 micrograms. This means that most people are exposed to BPA above the safe threshold set by EFSA. The highest exposure rates were observed in France, Luxembourg, and Portugal, where 100 percent of the participants had BPA levels above the limit. The lowest exposure rate was in Switzerland, where 71 percent of the participants exceeded the limit.

However, these numbers may underestimate the actual exposure of people to BPA, as the analytical methods used to measure BPA in urine have a limit of detection that is higher than the human biomonitoring guidance value (HBM-GV). This means that some people who had BPA levels below the limit of detection may still have been exposed to unsafe levels of BPA. Therefore, it is possible that all 11 countries have 100 percent exposure rates above the safe level.

BPS and BPF

As mentioned, the project also detected BPS and BPF in urine samples, although at lower levels than BPA. BPS was found in 98 percent of the participants, with an average level of 0.2 micrograms per liter. BPF was found in 86 percent of the participants, with an average level of 0.04 micrograms per liter. The health effects of these chemicals are not well understood, but some studies suggest that they may be more potent endocrine disruptors than BPA.

The EEA report calls for more action to reduce human exposure to BPA and its substitutes, as well as to improve the regulation and monitoring of these chemicals in the EU. The report also recommends more research on the health impacts of BPA and its alternatives, as well as on the sources and pathways of exposure.

The report has been challenged by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which oversees the approval of drugs in the EU. The EMA argues that EFSA’s new safe limit for BPA is too low and not based on a causal link between BPA exposure and health outcomes. The EMA also claims that EFSA’s methodology is flawed and premature.

However, the EEA maintains that its report is based on reliable and updated data from human biomonitoring studies, which reflect the actual exposure of people to BPA and its substitutes from multiple sources. The EEA says that its report provides a clear indication that BPA poses a potential health risk to millions of Europeans and that more precautionary measures are needed to protect them.

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Source: Interesting Engineering, Inc.